Ibaraki and Kyoto to Raise Regional Minimum Wages from November 16

The Ibaraki Labour Bureau and the Kyoto Labour Bureau announced the decision to revise regional minimum wages in the official gazette dated September 18. The minimum wage for Ibaraki Prefecture will be raised from 1,074 yen to 1,136 yen per hour, and for Kyoto Prefecture from 1,122 yen to 1,180 yen, both taking effect from November 16, 2026. Both notices were issued in the name of the Director of the respective Labour Bureau, establishing a public awareness period of approximately two months until the effective date.

Both notices are revision decisions based on the provisions of Article 12 of the Minimum Wage Act (Act No. 137 of 1959) and were publicized in accordance with the provisions of Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the same Act. The Ibaraki Prefecture minimum wage revises part of the 1980 Ibaraki Labour Standards Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1, and the Kyoto Prefecture minimum wage revises part of the 1990 Kyoto Labour Standards Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 3; both constitute revisions to regional minimum wages on a prefectural basis. The subject of the revision is the main rule for the hourly rate, referring to the regional minimum wage rather than a specified minimum wage.

Ibaraki raised by 62 yen to 1,136 yen

• Notice Name: Ibaraki Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 4
• Increase Amount: 62 yen (from 1,074 yen to 1,136 yen, approx. 5.8%)
• Issuer: Director of Ibaraki Labour Bureau, Etsuko Sato
• Date of Notice: September 18, 2026
• Effective Date: November 16, 2026

The increase for Ibaraki Prefecture is 62 yen, bringing the revised hourly rate to 1,136 yen. It was publicized in the name of Ibaraki Labour Bureau Director Etsuko Sato, and the effective date was set as November 16, 2026, via supplementary provisions.

Kyoto raised by 58 yen to 1,180 yen

• Notice Name: Kyoto Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1
• Increase Amount: 58 yen (from 1,122 yen to 1,180 yen, approx. 5.2%)
• Issuer: Director of Kyoto Labour Bureau, Tadashi Ise
• Date of Notice: September 18, 2026
• Effective Date: November 16, 2026

The increase for Kyoto Prefecture is 58 yen, bringing the revised hourly rate to 1,180 yen. It was publicized in the name of Kyoto Labour Bureau Director Tadashi Ise, and like Ibaraki, it takes effect from November 16, 2026.

Notice for Tokushima also published in the same gazette

• Notice Name: Tokushima Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1
• Increase Amount: 57 yen (from 1,046 yen to 1,103 yen, approx. 5.4%)
• Issuer: Director of Tokushima Labour Bureau, Takashi Kamei
• Date of Notice: September 18, 2026
• Effective Date: November 1, 2026

The official gazette of the same date also included the Tokushima Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1. Tokushima Prefecture’s wage was raised by 57 yen, from 1,046 yen to 1,103 yen, with an effective date of November 1, 2026, which is earlier than those of Ibaraki and Kyoto.

With this official announcement, the minimum wage levels applicable to all workers in Ibaraki Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture will increase starting November 16. From that date onward, employers are obligated to pay wages that are not lower than the revised hourly rate, and it will be necessary to review the wage ledgers and working conditions of the eligible workers. Including Tokushima, a total of three labor bureaus have finalized the increase of regional minimum wages in the same day’s official gazette.

Official Sources

• Ibaraki Labor Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 4 (Public Notice Regarding the Decision to Revise the Minimum Wage, September 18, 2026, Etsuko Sato, Director of Ibaraki Labor Bureau)
• Kyoto Labor Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1 (Public Notice Regarding the Decision to Revise the Minimum Wage, September 18, 2026, Tadashi Ise, Director of Kyoto Labor Bureau)
• Tokushima Labor Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1 (Public Notice Regarding the Decision to Revise the Minimum Wage, September 18, 2026, Takashi Kamei, Director of Tokushima Labor Bureau)
• Legal Basis: Minimum Wage Act (Act No. 137 of 1959), Article 12, Article 14 Paragraph 1